Artificial foot



May 5, 1925.

J. BECK ET AL ARTIFICIAL FOOT Filed June 12. 1922 `lifatentcrl May 5, i925.

`Ulll'llll.) .STATES Y. N N 1,536,111 PmE-[NrN oFFlc-E.

JAMES BECK, OF BUFFALO, AND CHARLES E. STEELE, OLE` CLEAN, NEW YORK.

ARTIFICIAL FOOT.

Application filed .Tune 12, 1922,. Serial No, 567,862.

\ To all whom t may concern:

" flu Be it known that we, JAMES BECK` and CHARLES E. STEELE, citizens of the United States of America, and residents, respectively, of the city of Buffalo, county of Erie,

`and city of Olean, county of Cattaraugus,

State of New York,- have invented a new and useful Artificial Foot, of which the fol lowing is a` full, clear, and exact description.

The principal object of our invention has i been to provide an artificial foot simple in construction and durable in service.

Another object has been to provide a foot,

I which shall be very flexible and which shall been accomplished by the device shown in the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1, is a side sectional elevation of our complete device.

Fig. 2, is a sectional view thereof,taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. j

Fig. 3, isa fragmentary sectional View taken on line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Uur improved foot comprises a body portion 5; a toe portion 6; and an ankle portion 7. The toe portion 6 is attached to the bodyportion 5 by means of` a piece of flexV ible material 8, preferably leather. This material is arranged at the bottom of these two portions of the foot, and the joint part above this flexible member is cut away so as to provide a V-shaped recess 20. Disposed in the V-shaped recess is a Vshaped rubber insert 9. This insert is preferably made-of sponge rubber or any other elastic material. The insert is preferably held in place by a piece of leather or other flexible material 10, which is fastened to the body part 5- The ankle part 7 is secured to the body part 5 by means of an ankle joint 11 and comprises two bolt members 12 and 13, se cured together by means of a suitable hinge joint. The bolt 13 is preferably secured in the body portion 5, and the bolt 12 is preferably secured in the ankle portion 7. The body part 5 is recessed as shown in the drawinUs for permitting the ankle part 7 to osciltlate slightly about the body part 5. An insert 14C is carried by the body part and :is arranged some distance in front of the ankle joint 1l. An insert 15 is also carried by the body part and is arranged some distance behind the ankle joint 11. These4 inserts are preferably of rubber or other elastic material and are in bearing contact with the lower surface of the ankle portion 7 whereby the foot will be maintained in normal position but will permit bending at the ankle joint when pressure is applied, as in walking. The entire foot, including the body portion, toe portion, and the ankle portion are preferably incased within a leather cov ering 16, whereby all joints are covered and la smooth exteriorsurface is provided. Se-

cured tothe botto-m of the body portion and toe portion is a thick rubber sole 17, pref` erably made of sponge rubber or other resilient or springy material, and the thickness of. this sole at the heel portion 18 is preferably greatly increased` so as to increase the comfort afforded by the use of our foot.

When the inserts 14; and 15 have become worn or havelost their elasticity, the ankle part 7 may be separated from the body part 5 and these inserts removed and replaced by new ones, which is a comparatively simple operation.

person is brought to bear upon the heel 18,v

the ankle portion 7 will compress the resilient insert 15 thus allowing a natural anklemovement. When the weight of the person is brought forwardly on the foot, as in walking, the ankle joint will be oscillated. and the resilient insert lt will be compressed. When the weight is brought upon the toe portion, at the end of the step, the toe portion will yield somewhat and compress the V-shaped insert 9. j

If desired, springs may be employed instead of the rubber inserts 14: and 15. These and other modifications of the details herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit of our invention or the scope of the appended claims; and we do not therefore wish to be limited to the eX- act embodiment herein shown and described.

Having thus described our invention what we claim is:

1. An artificial foot comprising a body part, anx, ankle"A pant pivotallyf secured4 tothe body part, resilient means disposed between the body part and the ankle part and arrangedl on: e'ae'h side of the pivotal connection of the ankle part, a rigid toe part flexibly secured to the body part, resilient means disposed between the toe part and the body part, a leather sheath inolosing they body, toe, and ankle parts, and a Com-1 bined' rubberv sole and' heel secured to the body partandfon top of theleather sheath.

2L 'nuartififcial footcomprising a body part, anfyankle part pivotally secured to the body part'7V resilient means ,disposed between 15 the bod'y 'part'. andthe ankle part and arpart, a flexible member for holding the ie- .i

silient means in place, a leather sheath inelosing the body, toe, and ankle parts, and a combined rubber sole and heel secured to the body part and on top of the leather sheath.

ln testimony whereof, we have hereunto signed our names.

JAMns Bison. y eHARLEs n. sienne. 

